Financial Services

The local stock market has opened flat as gains by the major banks offset losses by mining giant BHP Billiton.

The Australian dollar has regained some of its losses following the release of the Reserve Bank of Australia's August minutes, thanks to stronger gold futures on the back of greenback weakness.

Gold futures have hit a two-month high as losses in the US dollar stoked demand for the metal a day ahead of closely watched minutes from the Federal Reserve's latest meeting.

US stocks have closed mostly higher following some solid retail earnings reports.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 7.75 (0.05 per cent) to 15,002.99.

Australian shares have finished lower as investor concerns about emerging markets hit resource stocks.

The central bank has left the door open for more interest rate cuts but doesn't plan to walk through it just yet.

Long-serving chaiman Peter Diamond has announced his retirement from stockbroking firm Euroz.

The Australian share market has opened nearly one per cent lower.

Australia's largest business lender, National Australia Bank, is on track for a $6 billion full year profit, helped along by improvements in its troubled UK division.

The Australian dollar is lower, dragged down by a fall in commodity prices and the strength of the greenback which was boosted by high US Treasury yields.

Gold futures have fallen as jitters ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee's meeting minutes prompt some investors to exercise caution and move to the sidelines.

US stocks have closed lower, continuing their trend downward on mediocre economic news and higher bond yields.

The Australian dollar has firmed as the gold price reached its highest point in two months.

Australian stocks finished flat as some of Australia's biggest companies went ex-dividend ahead of the release of major profit reports this week.

Australian shares are flat, with rises in energy companies underpinning much of the market.

US equity markets suffered one of their poorest weeks of 2013 ending Friday, tumbling on the back of uninspiring economic data and troubling earnings reports from Walmart and other retailers.

The Australian dollar is slightly lower after recovering most of the losses it made after the release of strong US jobs figures.

Australian shares have finished weaker as profit taking hit the big banks and resource companies.

Australian shares are weaker as uncertainty about US stimulus measures hit Wall Street and local resource stocks.

ANZ made a $4.7 billion profit for the nine months to June, an increase of 7 per cent.The bank said the result was driven by revenue growth and productivity gains.

The Australian dollar is lower after better-than-expected US jobless claims figures boosted the greenback.

US stocks have tumbled after Dow components Cisco and Walmart spotlighted the weak economic outlook in their earnings reports.

The Australian dollar has firmed after Japan's economics minister, Akira Amari, said Australia's second largest trading partner was halfway out of deflation.

The share market edged lower due to mixed reactions to corporate earnings reports.

Australian stocks have opened slower on the back of disappointing data out of the United States.

- The Australian dollar is a quarter of a US cent higher, helped by some positive European economic data and higher metals prices.

US stocks on Wednesday closed lower after anaemic inflation data and a disappointing earnings report from Macy's suggested economic weakness.

The Australian share market is slightly lower after strong earnings reports from major companies failed to hearten investors

The Australian share market has nudged slightly lower in early trade.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia has posted a record $7.68 billion full-year profit.CBA's net profit for the year to June 30 was up 8 per cent from $7.09 billion in the previous year.

The Australian dollar is lower after the greenback was boosted by positive US retail sales data that sustained speculation the US Federal Reserve will begin tapering soon.

US stocks have closed in positive territory as corporate raider Carl Icahn revealed a large stake in Apple, sending the technology titan 4.8 per cent higher.